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Our Strategic Planning 
Process

Team Building Session
Team Building Session

Listening Sessions Start Soon

Building on the work done this past fall, including the Congregational Survey, your Strategic Planning Team is hosting Congregational Listening Sessions in March-April.  We will share our stories about life at First Church, identify creative ideas for moving forward, and explore our dreams for the future. Open/General Sessions will be held on 3 consecutive Sundays:

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  •  March 23 - 12:15 - 1:30 pm

  •  March 30 - 9:30 – 10:45 am

  •  April 6 - 12:15 – 1:30 pm

 

Please join us for these interactive sessions, where you will learn new things and be lifted up by one another.  And if you cannot make it on those dates, stay tuned for additional opportunities to share.

Reflect With Us on Where God is Calling Us Next

Hello, First Presbyterian,

 

We are in a very exciting moment in the life of our congregation. We are fully staffed with an incredible team, we have strong committees and officer boards experimenting with new forms of ministry and outreach, and our community partnerships and mission work continue to grow, such as with our new community garden partnership with the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (more on that soon). 

 

Because of all of that excitement and growth, our church’s session has decided to spend time this fall and the following year focused on strategic planning. Over the next year and a half, we’ll engage in a three-step process of listening, learning, and dreaming together about the future of our church. We’ll begin with macro-level surveys

and analyses, move toward micro-level listening sessions with congregation and community members, and then summarize our observations in a series of presentations and a final report. 

 

Toward that aim, you’ll be able to follow along with our strategic planning journey below. I hope that you’ll join us for these conversations as we begin this important work together. 

 

Peace,

Pastor Billy

Our 
Strategic Planning Teams

Strategic planning team:

Lynnette Yount

Jeff Burrowes

Laurel Bauer

Amber Kirby Talley

Rev. B.E. Kluttz

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Strategic planning advisory board:

Jennifer Swanson, deacon

Julie Bosland, elder

Robert Tobiassen, trustee

Clint Brass

Ethan Ledig

Timeline and Key Dates

  • Building our team 

    • Congregational informational sessions - September and October 2024 

    • Administration committee nominates strategic planning team

    • Commissioning of strategic planning team during worship - fall 2024

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  • Macro-level data collection

    • Financial and stewardship analysis - August and September 2024

      • Members of the strategic planning team and session met with the Presbyterian Foundation in February 2025 to discuss those reports and recommendations. A few key takeaways from that conversation were:

        • The financial health of the church is both strong and well managed. 

        • While data show there is generous giving across age ranges, the Foundation notes that participation in giving among church participants and members in their 30s and 40s is a potential area for growth.

        • The report notes the financial soundness of the current spending choices of the church, but notes that an increase to program spending to support the growing ministries of First Presbyterian Church is an avenue that would be beneficial to explore.

    • Informational sessions for congregation - September 15 and October 13, 2024

    • Applications open for strategic planning team - September 2024

    • Congregational survey - October and November 2024

      • The survey is now complete. 82 people participated in the survey! Thank you!

    • Commission strategic planning team in worship - December 8, 2024

    • Congregational survey results presentation to the congregation - January 26, 2025 following worship in room 103

      • A few key takeaways from the congregational survey include:​

        • There is a high level of contentment in the congregation, especially regarding our worship.​

        • There is a strong desire for more relational, small group, and fellowship opportunities.

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  • Micro-level data collection

    • Strategic planning team begins meeting with strategic planning consultant, Rev. Sarai Rice - January 2025

    • Congregational listening sessions begin - March and April 2025

    • Community listening sessions/interviews begin - summer 2025

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  • Writing, reporting, implementing

    • Strategic planning team begins reviewing/analyzing data and writing report - August 2025

    • Present final report to session - December 2025

    • Congregational presentations and discussion - beginning in January 2026

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